The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 837

Chapter 837: Her Decision

"Nothing. I was happy that for once he was happy just because of me," she said.

"And you didn’t say you do not wish to marry Nathan, that it’s not your happiness?" Arthur asked. "You are going to sacrifice yourself for our father’s happiness? It’s your life, not his."

"I am not sacrificing anything," she raised her gaze to look at Arthur. "I am fine with it."

"But didn’t you want to cancel it as well?"

"I never said I wanted to. It’s Lord Nathaniel, and you said that this marriage is not right for me and I should reject it," she interrupted him. "Just like I always listen to everyone, I went for it, but then Father didn’t want me to, so I obeyed him."

"Evie," Arthur felt speechless and frustrated. "Did you know you lost the only chance to reject this marriage and not ruin your life? I told you he is not right for you. Why didn’t you listen to me?"

His heart broke. How could she not think about herself? Instead she was utterly calm.

He inhaled deeply before saying, and met her eyes, "Evie, I know you had always wanted to marry Arlan. But now you can’t. That doesn’t mean you can just go on like this, not even thinking about what’s good for your future. Not marrying Arlan is not the end of your life."

"I wanted to marry Prince Arlan?" Evie interrupted him again, her expressions as if she had been accused wrongly.

"You didn’t?" Arthur asked, as if not believing her.

She let out a sad chuckle. "When did I ever say I want to marry Prince Arlan? It’s our father, mother, grandmother who decided on their own that I will one day marry Prince Arlan, as his betrothed was gone to never return. All of you decided it on your own and raised me, reminding me every day that one day I will be a crown princess of this kingdom and I am meant to marry Prince Arlan.

"Did I ever say I want it? Did I ever say I like Prince Arlan and I only wish to marry him? No, I didn’t. It’s just all of your wishful thinking. And just as I was raised to be an obedient, perfect noble lady, I followed my family’s wishes. No one ever asked what I truly wanted."

Arthur was taken aback as it was the first time ever Evie was talking, she was defending herself. Should he be glad that she had this defiant side, unlike her submissive self? Yes, he was happy she could talk this way.

"Alright, we all were wrong to do that with you, and your current decision has nothing to do with Arlan. But why would you agree to this marriage when Nathan himself asked you to reject him? Why would you want to marry a man doesn’t want this marriage either?

"Besides the fact Nathaniel isn’t good for you, you will be sent away from our family. We wouldn’t know how you are doing there, far away in the north-east. Why did you not say no, at least for your own sake?"

"I did it for my sake," she said, meeting his hurt gaze with utter calm.

"Your sake?" he asked.

She hummed, and explained, "A few days back, Father came to me and told me about the wedding proposal I had. He didn’t force it on me, but asked what I thought about it. He also said that if I agree, only then he will accept the proposal."

Her lips curved into a light smile. "Brother, can you believe, for the first time ever, Father asked for my opinion, and what I wish for? For the first time, I felt valued, that my wishes matter here. I was happy and agreed to it. In the end, I have to marry someone, so why not do it when I am being asked and not being coerced into it?"

"Evie, you could have told him you made a decision in haste and you are not sure about it," Arthur commented.

"Brother, perhaps you can’t understand the importance of being asked, because you were always free to do what you wished for," she said, her moist eyes looking into his. "But it was important to me. It happened for the first time and I agreed to it. Now, it isn’t right to go back on my words. At least I will go ahead thinking it was my own decision and not what I was forced into. This realization is more important for me than anything."

Arthur let out a helpless sigh. "Evie..." his heart felt heavy. "It won’t be a happy marriage for you. You don’t know Nathan. He..."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify